Oraculum Unwritten
by stuck-on-air
Summary: Alice is blasted into the past and must find a way home; madness ensues as she finds herself blazing a future in the past, and Mirana finds herself reliving the past in the present. Will include Malice, eventually. Not sure genre to enter it to...
1. Waking

Disclaimer: .dnalrednoW ni ecilA nwo t'nod I

**A/N:** Yes, I'm back and I've brought more Malice with me. This was originally put up on my DA (Das-Demonica) and is ongoing.

Full Summary: Alice is blasted into the past and must find a way home; madness ensues as she finds herself blazing a future in the past, and Mirana finds herself reliving the past in the present. Will include Malice, most likely very mild, very much an angst tinted story.

**Warning:** AU, contains Malice, flashbacks and flashforwards, minor/OC character death, much with the angst, the possibility of getting 'boring', forbidden romance, and one extremely sad White Queen.

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><p> <span>Chapter One:<span> Waking

aXm _Marmoreal: one month after the Frabjous Day_ aXm

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><p>The smoke and dust slowly cleared, leaving the mostly intact room in various shades of off white and gray. Parts of the ceiling fell, the dust settling over the shattered remains of a burnt table. Much of the room was in disarray, having been burned and thrown but moments before, some of the objects held an odd shine and seemed to shimmer as though they weren't really there.<p>

Mirana groaned, finding herself across the room and on the floor, her back pressed flesh against the wall. The queen's dress was in tatters, her hair a mess and her crown rolling on the floor beside her. Her eyes flickered open, her jaw dropped as she took in the damage to the room and saw one very important thing missing. Guards, and friends, arrived at the door to investigate an explosion, which had racked that wing of the castle, just as Mirana regained her voice though her ears were still ringing.

"Alice?"

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><p>aXm<p>

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><p>Alice Kingsleigh gazed about at the areas surrounding her. If it were that she was still in Underland, then it was not the Underland she knew, the Underland she'd been in but moments before.<p>

Far from it. It's woods were too tame, too quiet and similar to her own world's woods, and yet, something more. It was that something more which made her wonder if it was indeed her Underland and merely a part she'd previously never encountered. Her eyes went skyward and the act of lifting her head sent the tipsy young woman reeling, she soon fell backwards onto her rump. The fact that there were two moons in the sky helped to settle her inner musings, and as she recovered from her short fall, she decided that it had to be Underland, even if it was not her Underland.

Her head cast low, the young woman shuffled along through the forest, making her way down a well traveled path and swaying side to side as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. She recalled much of the accident, which had left her standing in the middle of a strange forest, but understood little of it.

Alice was soon broken from her thoughts as she came upon a child, sitting beside a tree. Their face was hidden from her view as they were contorted and folded up in such a way as she could not see them fully. She knew them to be pale, and their hair a shade just off of the purest white. Alice could not help but feel that she knew the child, and surmised that perhaps she'd met them in Mirana's court-after all, there were many aristocrats with pale face and pale hair there. She shook thoughts of Mirana, and her court, from her head as she heard the child sniffle. Alice took to their side.

"Are you lost?" she asked, stopping before them, not wanting to frighten them with a touch.

"What?" the girl asked, turning her face up to see Alice, showing herself to be a youth of perhaps fourteen, the area around her eyes a pinkish hue from crying.

The girl wiped her eyes, never looking directly at Alice. Alice nearly stumbled back, surprised by the similarities between the youth and her dearest Mirana.

"Why are you asking me? It's not like you care about me," the youth replied.

"Perhaps I do care, and perhaps I'm more familiar than I appear," Alice responded, she took in the youth, looking her over again; yes, she definitely looked like Mirana, "you aren't lost then?"

"No, no, I am," the girl replied, finished drying her eyes, she stood-showing herself to be nearly Alice's height, "but I'll find my own way back, thank you."

"Alright, may I join you then-in going back to where ever back is? I am lost myself, though I am not lost," Alice continued.

"You're welcome to accompany me, should you so wish to," the youth responded, glancing about before heading down the path, leaves crackled beneath her feet.

"Thank you, I should like to know where we are headed then," Alice replied, following along and keeping pace with the young woman.

"Marmoreal, we head for Marmoreal," the youth responded.

"You live there then? You're a noble?" Alice inquired, gaining the confusion of the young woman.

The girl stopped, brow furrowed, the light of disbelief tinting her eyes.

"Yes, I am of noble birth," the girl responded, looking rather like she wanted to check Alice for fever. "I do not currently reside at Marmoreal, it is my place of birth yes, but I am merely visiting."

"Ah, where then do you live?" Alice inquired as the girl continued walking.

"The castle Daphne of course," the youth replied, a smile creeping onto her face, her head tilted to the side. "You aren't from around here, are you?"

"No," Alice replied, looking for anything familiar to tell her where they were exactly. "I'm from the Abovelands, up top."

"That explains it," the girl muttered to herself, returning her attentions, her dark eyes, to Alice, "you speak with an uncommon accent."

"Oh," Alice muttered, wondering if it was true. "That's not a bad thing, is it?"

"No, I would not think it a bad thing," she replied after a moments thought and a light laugh.

An uncomfortable silence passed between the two, with the youth biting her tongue against any further words, and Alice edging from them-a strong sense of wrongness (the idea that she was trespassing) coming over her as her current situation stirred something deep within her.

"We're nearing Marmoreal," Alice muttered, looking past the ground before her and spying the towers of the castle through the trees.

"Thank you," the youth said, turning to her.

"For what? Helping you find your way back?" Alice inquired.

"No, for treating me like a person," the girl replied with a smirk, her tone striking Alice with the hidden melancholy behind it.

The older blonde's brow furrowed as she pondered the statement, if the girl was a noble and not treated as human, then was she placed on a pedestal? As she thought, the girl watched her, and they approached the back gates of the garden, and the trees about them seemed to twitch and shake.

"What's your name?" the girl inquired, looking ahead.

"Alice Kingsleigh," Alice responded. "I've been wondering of yours', please tell."

"Mirana of Marmoreal," she responded nonchalantly.

Alice stiffened, jerking slightly, an action noticed by the young Mirana.

"What's wrong?" the girl asked, dark eyes full of concern.

"Nothing, I was merely wondering how one can be of Marmoreal when one does not live there," Alice lied, trying to reassure the youth.

"It's simple really: I was born in Marmoreal, I lived there to the age of five, I visit here several times a year, and I fully intend on living out my life here," Mirana replied, softening, "though that shan't happen for some time."

Silence once more passed between the two, their reaching the back gate marking the end of their conversation. Alice, her brow knit, and Mirana passed through the gate and soon after Alice was tackled to the ground by a gardener, the shrill sound of a whistle and shouting meeting her ears before everything faded to darkness as her head hit the ground.

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><p><strong><span>AN:** Thoughts, comments, concerns? This one does have a fleshed out plot (I had to figure out how to make it all fit into place) and will be a nail-biter if you're into subtext, reasonable suspicion and the politics of Underland. It will be updated again next friday (on here) and wednesday (on DeviantART).


	2. Noble

Disclaimer: .dnalrednoW ni ecilA nwo t'nod I

**A/N:** Thanks guys for being supportive and showing interest in this story :)  
>To NamelessSaint: They will end up in love, there will be a happy ending.<br>To James Birdsong: I am mildly confused by the vagueness of this comment, but am nonetheless thankful that it was made.  
>To WolfDragonGod: Sweet, it's always great when people want more, it means I'm doing a good job *smiles*.<br>To Guest: Thank you very much *smiles*.

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><p><span>Chapter Two:<span> Noble

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><p>Alice awoke, her head throbbing, and found herself in one of the guest chambers in Marmoreal. Four or five guards were there, watching the door, and a physician was leaning over her. He clicked his tongue, which was a rather strange thing for him to do, seeing as he was a snake.<p>

"Ssshe's in good health I'd sssay, though ssshe doess have a nassty bump on her head," the man said, turning to one of the men.

"Thank you doctor Finn," the man, a captain by the looks of him, replied, "you may go now."

The snake slithered to the door and was let out, the doors shutting as soon as he was out of the way. The captain turned to her, his blue eyes flashing with what appeared to be distrust, possibly even annoyance or even anger.

"I'll make this as quick as possible," he muttered, voice going rough. "Who are you, and how did you happen to find her highness?"

"What?" Alice returned, not quite comprehending.

"Who are you and how did you find her highness?" the man reiterated.

"My name is Alice Kingsleigh and I found her in the woods," she replied calmly, brow furrowed.

"Why were you there?" he continued.

"I was on my way home," Alice responded, "and I happened upon her."

The man grunted, satisfied with the answer, then left the room. With many questions, few answers, and an aching head, Alice went back to bed and slept soundly. The following morning the guards were still standing watch at the door, two inside and two outside, and breakfast was soon brought to her. It was a simple meal with she ate alone, taking her food at a small table which was placed near the bed she'd been laid upon the day before. Soon after she'd finished the captain from the day before entered the room.

"You will follow me," he instructed gruffly, a scowl on his face.

Alice stood and silently followed, leaving the room followed by the door guards. The group headed into the throne room of Marmoreal, which was vastly different than she'd ever seen it before: totally white and having two prominent thrones instead of Mirana's rather discreet throne. Sitting in the two thrones were beings of very different visages, one being a man with ruddy skin, a large beard and reddish hair; the other being a woman of pale skin and hair: both wore crowns. Alice's stomach dropped: she definitely wasn't in her Underland anymore, out of her time. She'd been hoping that she'd misheard the young woman from the day before, or that she was a young noble named after the queen, but apparently she had not.

She was brought before the two and made to kneel, the captain's harsh hand forcing her down to the ground.

"Captain I hardly think it necessary to be so brutal with the girl," the queen said, her voice strong and commanding, not at all like Mirana's sweet voice, "she is a guest, not a prisoner."

The man looked chided and looked away out of shame.

"Of course my queen," he replied.

"Now then, on to business," the queen continued, cocking her head to the side and examining Alice. "My daughter tells us you found her in the woods, is that true?"

"Yes," Alice replied, looking up at the monarch.

"You do not reply 'yes' you say 'yes your majesty'!" the captain yelled, fighting back the urge to hit the daft woman: his anger surging.

"Captain your input is neither required here nor asked for," the king said from his place, his hand reaching out for that of his wife.

"But my liege, she is but a commoner," the man responded, "it is not proper."

"Who is to say what is proper? Once more Wydon and you will find yourself without a job and without a head," the queen responded harshly before turning her attention back to Alice. "My daughter has also told us that you spoke to her as one would a friend, is that not true?"

"It is true," Alice returned.

"What is your name?" the queen inquired.

"Alice Kingsleigh," she replied.

"And you are of the Abovelands, correct?" the king continued.

"Yes, I was, I recently relocated," Alice replied with a smirk.

"What do you know of the sword?" the queen inquired.

"Little, save that until recently I thought myself incapable of killing anything," Alice responded truthfully, finding their conversation an interrogation.

"Are you of noble birth in the Abovelands?" she inquired, sharing a look with her husband.

"No," Alice responded.

"That will have to be changed," the queen replied, glancing once more at her husband, "a commoner, no matter how lordly, will not be seen as fit."

"We'll have to knight her then," the king continued. "Alice, have you any knowledge of the skills of riding, hunting, hawking, reading, writing and arithmetic?"

"I'm fairly good at arithmetic, and I can read and write fluently in English, and am adequate at riding; though, I must confess, I have little knowledge of hunting and even less of hawking," Alice responded.

"What of dancing, etiquette and knowledge of our world?" the queen requested.

"I'm fair at dancing, a bit too easily distracted, and was never known, in the Abovelands, for having manners befitting of a young woman. As for knowledge of Underland, I have some but not much," Alice responded.

"Hmmm, perhaps we'd best wait 'till she's been trained?" the queen asked, turning to her husband. "T'won't take but a fortnight, she's bright."

"Perhaps, but Mirana is to leave for Daphne on the morrow," the king responded.

"We shall have to postpone her journey then, she has gone far too long without a proper Keeper and Dame Praline's health shan't hold for long," the queen retorted.

"You're certain this will only take a fortnight?" the king inquired.

"Aye; I know our daughter well enough to know she has little want for the skills of hunting and hawking. Two weeks to teach Alice the basics of swordplay, riding and asses her more courtly skills and advise them; then we send her and Mirana back to Daphne, Praline and the guards shall teach her the rest," the queen responded, glancing at Alice.

"It's settled then; Edwin, ensure that my daughter and the servants are informed of the decision to keep her for another fortnight," the king said, looking to a woman beside his wife's throne, he turned back to captain Wydon, "Find her clothes befitting of her stature and show her about the castle, then meet me in the library to discuss this rigorous new program: We must condense twenty-six years of training into a fortnight."

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><p>aXm Marmoreal: the day before Frabjous aXm<p>

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><p>Mirana stood as still as a tree, rooted in place, a few tears trailing down her pale cheeks. Beside her Chess popped into existence, his large grin fading from his face as he saw his old friend in tears.<p>

"'Tis a cruel joke that her visage returns but not her mind or heart," Mirana whispered, voice choked by tears.

"But her heart is already yours," Chess returned, circling the queen's head and flicking his tail in her face.

"You mistake it, 'tis not her heart I hold. It is a mocking possession; I hold the promise of her heart, a jest, but she holds my heart in its entirety," Mirana responded softly, she looked up at Chess, "Will she return whole? Will she make good on promises made if she does?"

"I don't know Mirana, why not consort the Oraculum and be done with it?" Chess asked.

"I have, it isn't in there," Mirana replied sadly, staring off into open space, "Her first visit, the time she spent with me when I was younger, is recorded; as is her return as a child, as is her return to kill my sister's Jabberwocky, but not the event which sent her to the past nor any mention of her returning from the past."

"Perhaps it is that momentous that it must not be known," Chess returned.

"Perhaps," Mirana muttered. "Perhaps."

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><p><strong><span>AN:** I've written through chapter four which means there will be a nice new chapter up next week Friday (here) and Wednesday (DeviantART). Reviews and suggestions for improvement are always nice.


	3. Knighted

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Alice in Wonderland, _however, that pesky white rabbit owes me some gambling debts... *grumble grumble*

**A/N:** Thank you all for reading, and thank you bucketfuls those who have reviewed. This story is being written up more quickly than I imagined, meaning that there will continue to be weekly updates for the next three weeks (at least). I estimate there will be about twelve chapters total, so we're a third of the way in, after this chapter there will be more definite (still subtle) signs of Malice. There will be actual Malice within the next five chapters, though it will be mild it will still be there.

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><p><span>Chapter Three:<span> Knighted

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><p>The sword was forged of the same material as the Vorpal blade, though it was of far simpler design and as deadly a purpose. It's name was Máru-Clade and it had been forged to fit Alice perfectly. It was passed from Lordling Charles of Daphne (whom served in place of the Lady Praline) to King Aaron. The king held the blade upright, his eyes following the line of the blade and his hand tracing it, he brought it to it's side and rested the flat of the blade on his palm.<p>

Before him Alice Kingsleigh knelt. She wore a tabard of blue and white, beneath which was a white cotton shirt the sleeves to which extended to just below her elbow, beyond which were a pair of bridle gauntlets. On her legs were a pair of dark trousers and durable black boots. Her hair was let loose, a huge mane which formed a halo about her in the pale morning light which streamed through the windows of the throne room.

"I, Alice Kingsleigh of the Abovelands, vow to protect Mirana with my life; to further her educations and allow her to flower and grow; to tend the castle Daphne, where she resides, and in turn, Marmoreal; and offer fealty to her and the crown of Underland," Alice stated, finished, she twisted her right hand inward and touched it to her breast.

"I dub thee Lady Kingsleigh, keeper of Mirana," the king spoke, giving the dubbing blow, "Arise."

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><p>aXm<p>

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><p>Alice wandered from her chambers that afternoon in a daze, the weight of a sword at her side throwing her off slightly, her clothes baring the crest of Daphne, a gray and blue shield with the silhouette of a wolf on it. Though she would've preferred to have worn the crest of Marmoreal, if there was such a thing, she didn't mind baring the crest of Daphne, seeing as she would be spending much of her time there with the young princess of Marmoreal. It had been chosen by Lordling Charles, whose reasons for doing so were unknown, though it had been speculated he intended on snatching her up-should Mirana ever dismiss her from her services.<p>

That morning after returning to her chambers Alice had witnessed the girl outside speaking to the trees, and she'd watched as her ward followed the gardeners about and aided them in their tasks. She'd witnessed the girl playing with young Tarrant, whose madness had not yet taken root, and who was glad to have a friend.

When Alice left her chambers it was for the purpose of relieving the stress of the day and the days before. Fourteen long and grueling days had taught her more about life in Underland than she'd ever known before. She now knew the heredity of the royal family, the history of how they came to power, the lands surrounding Underland. She'd vastly improved her skills in riding, swordplay, and archery. Her manners, as well, had improved to an acceptable level and she'd learned several formal dances she was required to know. In addition, Alice had learned everything of her new position and discovered that she was meant to be the most trusted guard of the princess, higher up than even the retainers.

When servants passed her they bowed their heads, and when she was addressed (which had thus far been only once or twice) she'd been called 'Lady Kingsleigh'. The weight of her new position not only weighed heavily on her hip but on her shoulders as well, there was an air of importance about the position she'd been delegated, which mirrored the importance of her position of champion back in her Underland, some years later. Though she'd been a champion she'd only indulged in the duties of one for a single day, the position one of great wait and dire importance when the need for it came about. Her new position as keeper of Mirana and the estate of Daphne, was not so. It required all of her time, all of her power, and should something go wrong-should she fail to keep her ward safe-she would likely go insane.

The day she'd arrived, as well, had stressed her greatly as she distinctly recalled a great white flash and a bang loud enough to rival thunder before she found herself in the midst of the woods in the pearly morn. She'd been observing Mirana making a potion when the explosion had occurred, and she feared that (should she return to the proper time) her queen would not be there. It was a thought which weighed ever the more heavily on her given that she'd been given the current situation and the implications. Alice hoped that upon returning to the proper time period things would be as they always had, that she had not caused a catastrophic turn of events simply by going along with what was happening.

As she descended a flight of stairs, she was bumped into by none other than Tarrant, who was followed closely by Mirana. The youth was wearing clothing totally inappropriate of her stature, but Alice had not the heart to tell her away from such things, having seen the girl's bright smile.

"Sorry miss," Tarrant said, backing off slightly, taking off his hat and doing a bow of sorts, "I didn't see you."

Mirana snuck around him, presenting herself to Alice. Her dark eyes had a youthful glimmer to them, and she seemed to be sizing her new keeper up.

"Lady Kingsleigh?" Mirana inquired.

"Aye, your majesty," Alice replied, meeting her future queen's eyes.

"You my knight, yes?" Mirana inquired, a smirk gracing her lips.

"Perhaps," Alice replied.

"Then, I should like you to escort me," Mirana declared.

"Where to?" Alice inquired, cocking her head to the side slightly.

"Daphne of course, though that will be later, for now I wish you to escort me to my chambers here at Marmoreal-My dear friend Tarrant was on the way to his father's workshop, and though I should like to join him, I should like to know my keeper."

"I'd be happy to join you," Alice replied, smirk tugging at her lips, eyes catching on the young Tarrant.

Alice stepped aside, allowing Tarrant to pass, Mirana taking step beside her. The youth's hand snaked it's way into her own, grasping it tight. Alice swallowed, feeling rather uncomfortable as her dear friend (much younger now) looked up at her with dark eyes and a smirk upon her lips. She tried to remember when Mirana said she'd made her vows, but her mind drew a blank as the youth spoke to her.

"Dame Kingsleigh walk with me," she pleaded, her tone a bit too soft for it to be the command she'd tried for.

"Of course," Alice responded, the feel of Mirana's arm wrapping about hers' ever the more confusing.

"You have learned a great many thing already, and knew just as much before, but I daresay you do not know so much as my parents should like," Mirana said as they headed up the staircase and down the hall, "but I couldn't disagree more."

"What do you mean your majesty?" Alice inquired, not quite following.

They reached a room, and Mirana quickly ushered her in. Alice was thankful to find that it was the antechamber rather than the actual bedroom-which, to be truthful, Mirana had shown her on her first night at Marmoreal, it residing beside the room she was to stay in.

"Well, they would rather you be learned of all royal arts-that you be a knight, a retainer even, like Lady Praline was," Mirana responded, taking a seat on a couch, "I disagree. You have something to teach me that Lady Praline has never been able to."

"What would that be your majesty?" Alice inquired, taking a seat across from her ward, stomach churning.

"Kindness, compassion, things of that nature," Mirana responded, settling Alice.

"Do you find it hard to be kind?" Alice inquired.

"Perhaps," Mirana replied, fidgeting, "sometimes."

"I should think that only natural," Alice responded softly.

"I should think it not..." Mirana muttered.

"I should think so," Alice replied, softer than before, her head cocked to the side, she changed the subject. "I never did learn why you were out there in the woods, crying-the day I met you."

"My sister and I, we don't quite agree with one another, and our visits overlapped one another-as they are prone to do," the youth responded gravely, looking very much like her older self.

"Ah, an argument then, what was it of?" Alice queried.

"It was of the treatment of servants, primarily, and succession of the throne was there as well," Mirana replied solemnly, "she thinks that servants must live in fear, that I am too soft and should be too soft a queen when I take the throne."

"I should not think you so soft, you have said you do not think yourself soft-you cannot be both soft and rough at once and if you are soft then you show compassion," Alice responded calmly, her voice carrying weight though it was still very soft. "What use am I to you if you've already learned such qualities you said only I am able to teach?"

"I have not achieved balance Lady Kingsleigh," Mirana responded, brow furrowing as she sat on the edge of her seat, most unbefitting of the princess she was but a darling mannerism.

"You needn't call me Lady Kingsleigh, Alice will do-I did not give you my name, those days ago, so that you could call me by a sur," her keeper replied. "I should think, with the muchness you possess, that you may simply be experiencing the struggles of balance-tipping too far is so easy, but keeping the scales true is a much harder thing to do."

"Perhaps you are right Alice," the youth replied, brow relaxing, "but if it is that I am in a struggle, whom better to help me than you-especially in such areas?"

"Your mother, Lady Praline, Tarrant's mother, your governess," Alice named, counting off on her fingers, dully noting the agitated and frustrated look on Mirana's face.

"Perhaps, but they are not you Alice," Mirana responded. "You are a new face, whereas they are old to me, and you have given me no reason not to trust that you shan't teach me such things and protect me-you aided me without even knowing me."

"What if I were not trust worthy? After all, humans are human-it is infallible that they make mistakes, they fail," Alice replied. "You place too much faith in me, your majesty, if you think it impossible that I not fail you eventually. I may one day wound you, through no malice of my own, and wound you deeply in a way which may not threaten yourself alone but countless others."

"You have not yet Alice and you cannot know that such a day will come until it passes," Mirana breathed softly, "and if, by chance, such a day should dawn I should forgive you immediately-Now, let us come away from it and retire from this room to the castle gardens and bask in their splendor. Too soon we shall return to Daphne and you shall take up your duties, I daresay I can be quite the handful at times."

"You, a handful? I find it impossible to believe," Alice replied, wrinkling her nose at the thought.

"As a younger girl, I took it in my head to practice believing for half-an-hour a day. Sometimes I would believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast*. That being the case, I've always held that saying that something is impossible is the same as saying that it is very much possible, likely even," Mirana replied casually. "I suspect that by the end of this week you'll have upheld this theory of mine and agree that I can be _quite_ the handful."

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><p>aXm Marmoreal, day before the Frabjous aXm<p>

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><p>Mirana chewed her lip a habit she'd given up years prior, when she'd first met her dear Alice for the first time. After several sleepless nights, she'd given up trying to sleep and taken to wandering the grounds. She was starting to fret over the conversation she and Alice had held years ago, the words holding enough weight to panic her as the moment of the younger woman's decision dawned upon them in all it's horrid severity.<p>

Dark eyes grew darker, pale skin paler, and her normally smooth float grew edgy and rough from time to time. Seeing Alice was much like before: the woman (though younger now) still set her heart aflutter with the wings of a thousand love stricken butterflies. She had an air of innocence about her, which had often presented itself in Mirana's younger days, but was more permanent than then, and seemed to think it was merely a dream. Mirana frowned at the thought, she did not like the idea of being merely a figment of Alice's sleeping mind, though it did not sound all that bad as it would mean Alice was always with her, it would also cast her as a pawn-something she had not been raised as. Though Mirana was a queen she was not so versatile in the game of war, acting more as the king-her powers limited by her own hand-and she liked to think, dreadful as it was, that Alice would be her queen-after all, the woman had already been her keeper and would soon be her champion (knight above all knights, keeper of her adult self).

There was also the fact that Alice had promised Mirana her heart, saying (then, in Mirana's past and, evidently, her future) that it merely was not the right moment for her to be Mirana's. The queen dreadfully hoped she had not misheard Alice that day (so long ago) and that she would indeed find an anchor in her guiding light, her north star.

The queen wandered out onto the balcony and found Alice there, a smile pulled at her lips and she tried (desperately) to refrain from breaking into an all out grin. As she approached her future (or was it former, oh histories such as their's were so very perplexing!) it took all her will to keep from pulling the woman close and assaulting Alice's lips with her own. The fluttering in her chest was killed when the girl quite plainly turned to her and addressed her as 'your majesty', reminding Mirana that Alice had not the proper muchness the woman she'd known did, and would not for some time.

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>"As a younger girl, I took it in my head to practice believing for half-an-hour a day. Sometimes I would believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast" ('<em>Through the Looking Glass<em>', 59) said the White Queen to Alice. 'As a younger...believing' (_'Through the Looking Glass'_, 59) paraphrased to suit.

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><p><strong>AN:** Six impossible things was said by the White queen (as [poorly] cited above). I thought it would work, so I used it. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, the next (chapter four: keeping pace) will be up Friday (both here and on DeviantART).


	4. Keeping Pace

**Disclaimer: **Ownership of the Alice have I not. **  
>AN:** Chapter four, huzzah.  
>To WolfDragonGod: The short scenes at Marmoreal (for the most part) occur prior to the accident which sent Alice back in time, meaning that they're still flashbacks. The timeline in this story is a wibbly-wobbly paradox.<br>To Guest: Thank you very much, writing Mirana is always fun.  
>To ChronoCresentFlames: The only dumb questions are those left unasked. aXm stands for 'Alice X Mirana', I could've just done a nice little 'xXx' as a breaker to draw attention to a shift in scene, but decided to spin it.<br>Danka my feathered friends, alien brethren from Mars, and fine Earthborn readers for following this story as far as you have, there will be more to come. Not gonna jinx it.

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><p><strong><span> Chapter Four:<span>** Keeping Pace

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><p>Alice looked out the window of the carriage and watched the woods go by, her sleeping ward's head resting comfortably on her shoulder. The road they travelled down was not frequently travelled, but obviously well kept as there was a large gap maintained between the path and the edge of the sparse forest. They'd started their journey back to Daphne early that morn, in the light of the pearly dawn, and Mirana had fallen asleep soon after the initial sorrow of leaving Marmoreal left her. Alice, on the other hand, had kept wide awake, her eyes basking in the beauty of the wilds of Underland while searching them for potential threat.<p>

Before their carriage were four knights, two of whom were still green behind the ears. Behind the carriage, covering the rear, were four of the family's most trusted retainers. The retainers were below Alice in authority, though far more trusted by the general court and the king and queen, and would always accompany Mirana on journeys-though Alice would accompany her as well, at a closer distance. The four, Eckhart, Wilhelm, and the brothers (Clove and Arne) came from families which had served the rulers of Underland for several generations, and had protected Mirana since she was five years of age and first moved to Daphne.

Alice had also learned why Mirana lived at Daphne instead of Marmoreal, and discovered that King Charles believed it safer for his daughters to live at separate estates, his theory being they would be out of the way should war return to Underland and therefore less likely to be claimed casualty to conflict. Though Mirana had been born at Marmoreal, and spent her first five years of life there, she spent the majority of her time at Daphne and only travelled to Marmoreal two to three times per year-though Alice had heard, from Eckhart, that she would return to Marmoreal four times in the coming year, the fourth being for the Great Tournament in which most knights, nobles and retainers were invited to participate in. From what she'd learned from Eckhart, Mirana had not been to see the Great Tournament since Lady Praline's debilitating accident-which made travel near impossible for her, and caused several more retainers to accompany Mirana to and from Daphne until Alice.

The carriage continued down the road, the slight rocking of it lulling Alice into a fitful sleep marked by dreams of the accident which had brought her there, her arm wrapping tight about young Mirana's waist and head coming to rest atop the younger girl's.

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><p>aXm<p>

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><p>They rolled to a stop and Alice jerked awake, jarring the half asleep Mirana and causing her to slip off the bench and onto the floor of the compartment. Looking around Alice saw a great castle of pale gray stone, with accents of blue, and line of servants and the guard-which served only to confirm her suspicions that it was indeed Daphne. The knighted woman turned and pulled her ward from the floor, the slip of a girl quickly complied and gracefully righted herself with Alice's help.<p>

The door to the carriage opened and Mirana nudged Alice out before her. As the woman stepped down she peered about, examining the grimy servants and the sweaty guards before turning and helping her lady down. Mirana followed Alice's example in stepping down slowly and taking a look about, though she did so far more gracefully and with a bright (though tight lipped) smile. Her lipped smile broke into a full out grin as a much older woman hobbled from the castle, and she flew from Alice's side to the woman and wrapped her arms about her tight about her.

"Madame Praline!" Mirana exclaimed, pulling away and looking up at her mentor and former keeper. "What are you doing out of the castle?"

"I came to welcome you, of course, and your new keeper," Praline responded, her dark eyes leaving Mirana and traveling to Alice, examining her critically.

"That is no reason to further damage your health!" Mirana exclaimed.

"Perhaps not to you my lady, but to me it is reasonable enough," Praline replied thoughtfully, cocking her head to the side, eyes still lingering on Alice.

Mirana's brow knit and she chewed her lower lip. Behind her Alice stood dumb for a moment before starting forward toward her ward, the servants still standing silent at the welcome.

"Servants, return to work," Madame Praline instructed, her eyes flashing as Alice's locked with hers. "You've never held a position such as this, have you?"

"No, but perhaps the soft touch of ignorance is exactly what is needed," Alice responded, matching the woman for strength.

"Mirana dear, go inside and rest, Lady Kingsleigh will assist me-no need to fret," Praline stated, the youth glancing between the two before fluttering away. "Perhaps you are right, perhaps the best way to culture innocence is to present it with the ignorance of a hungry mind, it would explain why you would succeed where I feel to fail."

"You know me well and yet we've only just met," Alice replied coyly, smirking.

Praline chuckled, dark lips twisting into a smile which was bright enough to make Mirana seem wan in comparison. The woman hobbled a bit closer to Alice, and the young woman quickly noted how heavily Madame Praline seemed to lean upon her cane, and the strangeness of her hips. Her left leg seemed to drag dead behind her body and was awkwardly set: as though she'd taken a massive wound to the hip and it hadn't healed correctly. Alice's eyes lingered a bit too long and the dark haired woman noticed.

"Keeping up with Mirana, when she was younger, was even harder than it is now. I trust you've heard that I was wounded," the woman stated before glancing down at the general afflicted area. "It was...an accident, no one's fault really, though the physician set it wrong, it would still pain me even if it had healed right."

"Many mentioned that you'd had an accident and I'm still curious as to what happened," Alice responded.

Praline spat, "You're a clever woman with a good heart Lady Kingsleigh, you must be if you've captured Mirana so easily, but you're far too curious. Put it out of your head, the past is the past."

_"For you perhaps,"_ Alice thought bitterly, she was starting to understand why Praline had been picked as Mirana's first keeper: the woman was worse than a thousand Jabberwock on a bad day.

"Now, it's obvious you've never done any sort of work like this before-though you may have once held a sword in battle from what I've heard," Praline began. "The sword not withstanding, you'll need supervision and guidance-which I intend on giving you whether you like it or not."

"Understood, it wouldn't be...presentable? Passable? Proper! Yes, it wouldn't be proper for me to look confused would it? Isn't that why her majesty was detained at Marmoreal why I learned?" Alice responded.

"No, it would not," Praline replied morosely, eyeing Alice strangely: the woman spoke of Mirana as though the girl was already queen, but with many people living backwards, she did not question it.

So began the great Six Month Feud, a great battle of the minds waged between Lady Praline and Dame Kingsleigh and recorded by the scarred servants of Daphne. The feud in truth lasted much less time than the six months estimated by the scullery maids: the two becoming fast friends after the first initial month of dislike and mistrust, and merely putting on a show for their own amusement.

As Mirana had warned, she was a handful, and it seemed that Alice was pulling her away from trouble twice every hour-save when the girl was sleeping which, thankfully, offered Alice repose.

Lady Praline, and the retainers, continued to educate Alice in the arts she was in need of and even some she was merely in want of. Though the retainers taught her a good deal more of fighting, Praline was an excellent teacher of history and language, but even Praline could not teach Alice to read Outlandish-that honor was reserved for no one other than Mirana, whom read to Alice every afternoon of Outlandish poetry, epics, sagas and tales galore. Alice and Mirana returned twice to Marmoreal (once for the youth's birthday, and once for the Great Tournament-in which Alice competed against Iracebeth's keeper, and lost).

Unfortunately, as all good things are bound to do, Alice's friendship came to an end when Madame Praline returned to Marmoreal for the final time, nearly a year after Alice had first arrived at Daphne.

It was whispered among the staff of Daphne that Praline's last words were 'I've lived on borrowed time Alice, and time has a way of catching up with people-whether they know it, want it, like it or not-step carefully,'.

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><p>aXm Marmoreal, one month and three days after the Frabjous aXm<p>

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><p>Tarrant found his friend and liege in the same place he'd found her the past three days, in the kitchen where the accident (in which poor Alice had been lost) had taken place. The woman was staring, as she always did, across the table-at the place her dearest Alice had stood that day. The Hatter took off his hat, no one knew where Alice was or if she was alive, but all hoped for the best and wished their queen would leave her post and forgo her static-if only to eat or drink more than a spoonful.<p>

Try as they may not even the physicians could hold Mirana to her bed for more than a few hours at a time, and getting her to respond was nearly impossible. They'd taken her to the room of thoughts, and all they'd heard going through her head was 'it's all my fault' the dreadful thought repeated over and over again in a never ending cycle, overshadowing all other thoughts she may have held.

He took a seat beside his queen, pulling up a stool which had survived the blast, and pulled her close to himself, his arms wrapping about her as he tried to comfort her and draw her from her reclusive state-much as he'd tried all the three days prior. He would have sung her a lullaby, to calm her inner turmoil, but none he knew were calming. He could have recited her a verse, but all he knew he'd forgotten in madness, save that of the Jabberwocky. Tarrant was surprised when he felt his queen clutching at his shirt, bunching it in her hands as tears began to roll down her face.

"What have I done, oh what have I done dear Tarrant?" she sobbed.

"I think you have lost your muchness," the Hatter replied, "a man by the name of Alice, I believe, aye, I did know him well-he'll be back again, no doubt."

It was true, he didn't doubt Alice would return, but wondered if she would return to them as herself (as _the_ Alice) or as another, again. He'd known, for many years, that his queen had fallen for the Lady Kingsleigh, and she'd been much the better for it. As Mirana sniffled, her tears soaking through his shirt and chilling his chest, the Frabjous day returned to him, and Mirana as well.

"He's bound to return," Tarrant muttered, holding his broken friend closer.

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><p><strong><span>AN: **I could be cruel and say 'no chapter next friday' but that would be lying...


	5. Lessons

**Disclaimer: **Ownership of the Alice have I not.

**A/N:** Not only have I managed to not update on Friday (sorry), I've also managed to confuse several of you.  
>All right, time line explanation:<br>If it's not labelled it's the past, if it is labelled it's in the future.  
>The future is divided into two periods; before the Frabjous and after the Frabjous. The accident which sent Alice into the past occurred a month after the Frabjous.<br>As for ages, (in the past) Mirana ranges between 14 and 17 though in the future she's around 24. Alice was 19 (I think, they were talking about it in the movie), so she goes from 19 to 22.  
>I hope that helps.<p>

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><p><span>Chapter Five:<span> Lessons

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><p>The horse slowed and Alice dismounted before leading the young stallion into the stables, passing Sir Wilhelm along the way. While riding a horse wasn't quite the same as riding her dear Bandersnatch had been, it was an excellent way of beating away boredom on long summer days. She hadn't heard much of the Bandersnatch, during those past two years she'd been living time backwards, save that it was roaming the Outlands. Thinking of how strange her life was, of how it skipped back so many years, Alice began to wonder what Mirana (her Mirana, the woman her ward was growing to be) felt about the situation, it had to be odd, meeting Alice as an adult, then as a child, then as a younger woman than she currently was. She wondered what, if should she ever return to her native home above, her mother would think of her returning three years older than she'd left the engagement as.<p>

Finished brushing down the horse and caring for him, Alice headed into the castle proper and sought out her charge. Over the course of three years she'd grown ever more fond of the young woman, but found that every moment she looked upon Mirana her heart was conflicted, and her mind grew confused.

She and her Mirana (of the Frabjous and beyond) shared a bond which had tugged at her, attraction she recognized but was unwilling to act upon-after all, though even a cat may look upon a king (or queen in this instance) it would not be proper for said cat to shower affection upon said king (or queen), so she reasoned. Alice, upon making it through the first of three confounding years, realized that it was a great thing she had not acted upon her affections, for she thought it would be far more difficult if she had to keep anything, besides her eyes-which did occasionally fall upon the young woman, seeing her as she would become rather than as she was-from roaming.

What Alice did not know was the toll her checked emotions (of the future) had taken on her fragile queen, to wait so long and be denied was not a grand thing to have happen at all. It tore the woman, wounding her greatly but not beyond hope of repair, pitting love against loathing. She loved her Alice, her Lady Kingsleigh, whom had once upon a time asked to be read to, whom shared a love of learning and had a heart of gold: but she also loathed that the woman would not return her physical expressions, that she did not advertise any need (or want) to be with Mirana physically, that she did not attempt to woo the queen. It was love, yes, and quite mad.

That brings us back to the present, which is to say, the past.

Alice found her charge in the great kitchens of Daphne which, while great, were not half as kind as those of Marmoreal. The young Mirana was busy brewing something, which Alice correctly guessed was Pishalver. The dark eyed girl looked up at her with a smirk on her face, she was seventeen and a half.

"Alice," she said, looking up at her keeper and dear friend.

"Yes?" the woman responded, having been distracted by the ingredients before her, she'd grown used to seeing them-could name each and every one without help from Mirana, though she still loved to hear the young woman speak.

"How was your ride?" she asked, setting down her instruments of brewing and offering her arm to her willing keeper.

The woman, as always, snatched her up and the two were off-forsaking potions making in favor of their lazy afternoon routine.

"It was as refreshing as it's ever been, though still not quite the same as riding the Bandersnatch," Alice slipped, forgetting (momentarily) that she was in Daphne, not Marmoreal, and that the Mirana beside her was still seven years younger.

"What?" Mirana inquired, eyes snapping to the woman beside her. "Did you just say you've ridden the Bandersnatch?"

"No," Alice lied, failing to convince even herself.

"Aye, you did, you said you've ridden the Bandersnatch!" Mirana pressed, looking concerned.

"Perhaps," Alice responded, finally formulating response, "I may have said that I've ridden the Bandersnatch, but what I meant was that, though the ride was refreshing, I should think it would feel vastly different from riding the Bandersnatch."

Mirana seemed to accept that, for the moment, but as she and Alice wandered the halls and chatted about this week's lessons (the governess was teaching Mirana the great works of old and Alice was teaching her the sport of archery), she found chink in the fortress defense.

"Why were you thinking of the Bandersnatch, dear Alice?" she asked, coming back to the topic.

"I must confess that I do not know the exact reason, but I speculate that it should have some correlation with our Tarrant's recent visit," Alice replied truthfully.

"Yes, he did bring with him a great deal of weighty news," Mirana responded, brow furrowing as she frowned, "I would not be surprised if news of the Bandersnatch escaped me during his visit."

"Is something the matter?" Alice inquired.

"I think Tarrant's gone 'round the bend Alice," the youth replied solemnly, as if it weren't already known.

"I see no problem in that, do you?" her keeper continued.

"No, I suppose there is no problem in that, so long as he's happy," Mirana responded at last, brow still tense. "He's changed so much over these past few years."

"As have you my liege," Alice replied with a smirk, "it's called growing up."

"I've changed?" Mirana asked, brow relaxing and happiness seeping back into her as she looked upon Alice.

"Of course you've changed Mirana," Alice replied with a smile. "You've become a beautiful young woman."

The youth averted her gaze, a heavy blush coming to her pale face as a grin broke over her features. It was beautiful, more so than the moon rising, but troublesome to Alice, whom realized that she had crossed the line, perhaps setting off a chain of events which would ultimately change the future.

They reached the library and Alice hastened to open the door for Mirana, whom slipped inside and grabbed a book before coming back out. She turned it in her hands, showing it to Alice, whom stared at the title with a furrowed brow.

"_'The Wren and the Raven'_" Mirana translated.

"What's it about?" Alice inquired.

"A wren and a raven," Mirana replied sarcastically, lips twitching into a smirk as she teased her keeper. "In truth, it does center on a Raven and a Wren, but there is much more to it."

"How much more? What sort of tale is it?" Alice questioned.

"Well, it's about the Wren-king of all avians-trying to woo the Raven, who will having nothing to do with him. Eventually he devises a plan to capture her affections, you'll see if he succeeds or not," Mirana replied, waving the book at Alice. "Though, first we must start reading."

"Then let's," Alice responded, opening yet another door-which lead into the adjoining room between her chambers and Mirana's, a place they spent much time in, lessons being taken there primarily.

Mirana took up her spot upon the window seat, and pulled her reading glasses out and placed them upon the bridge of her nose. Alice sat nearby, watching as Mirana went through the process of translating the Old Outlandish text into the common tongue they both spoke. The woman's eyes remained locked upon Mirana as the young woman continued reading, her ears taking in the sweet voice-hardly taking notice of the story at all.

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><p><strong>AN:** The next chapter will be up next Friday (as opposed to Sunday), I'd bet my left hand on it.


	6. Dear Sir

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Alice in Wonderland' if I did then there would be a sequel and it would be...delectable.

**A/N:** Slightly longer update (about twice the length of the last). I'm 50/50 on this chapter (as I am with most), it has its good moments and its bad moments.  
>The next chapter may or may not contain implied malice, I have to check. I finished writing up to the last chapter almost two weeks ago and there's this lovely muse that keeps yelling in my ear while school kicks my ass.<p>

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><p><span> Chapter Six:<span> Dear Sir

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><p>aXm Marmoreal, day of the accident-a month past Frabjous aXm<p>

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><p>Mirana looked up at Alice, eyes alight with laughter as her champion questioned her of the Frabjous day. A month had gone by and the woman was still processing the information, Alice's intermediate babbling was adorable-broken by short responses from Mirana, or by other question's Alice wished to pose. Though she was still not the woman Mirana had known, she was getting there, and was very much her future self (the very woman from the queen's past).<p>

Her dearest Alice loved to hear her say the names of the ingredients she added to the brew before her, though the champion would frequently regard them oddly-whereas her older self seemed comfortable with their strangeness. Presently the babbling stopped as Alice seemed to entertain a thought. Confusion ran rampant in her distant eyes and Mirana wished nothing more than to lean forward and kiss her back into reality, into the present, back to her babbling: but she could not. She'd waited long enough to know that now was not the right time, that any fell move could change her past (Alice's future) and cause massive damages to both. She did not like the prospects of a changed past, for it would mean she would not be herself. The notion sent a shiver through the queen and she quickly went on with her work: the potion she was brewing required the utmost attentiveness and precision.

Meanwhile, across from her, Alice was toying with the notion that the battle of Frabjous day was like a game of chess, and was sorting the partakers into pieces. It was obvious Mirana was the queen (or so she thought) and Tarrant was a knight.

"The battlefield was a chessboard, was it not? Then the battle was a game of chess...I know where everyone else fits, save myself and the Jabberwocky, who were we?" Alice finally asked, still trying to riddle it out in her head, her confusion and curiosity maddening to Mirana-whom longed to reach out and touch Alice as she had on the Frabjous day.

"If I could liken you to any character in chess, I would liken you to the queen," Mirana replied, adding a sprinkle of Thyme to the mixture, "with myself the king, for I am useless without you and you change the tides."

Silence permeated the air and the queen looked up at her champion. Seeing the woman's brow furrowed in confusion, Mirana realized she'd overstepped her bounds-Alice was not yet ready to know what she meant to the her, to know how hard it had been to let her step onto the field of battle knowing she may never return, to realize that she was Mirana's keeper and confidant of years past (and much more) but did not know it. She was _the_ Alice to everyone else in Underland, but she was not yet _Mirana's_ Alice.

Alice seemed utterly and hopelessly confused by the statement, and the white queen was very much tempted to out and say it to her champion, to explain, to confess the same feelings she'd held years prior (and retrained) and ignore that the woman would eventually wind up living backwards before disappearing from the texts. Mirana was about to say something when Alice pointed out something very important to her: she'd never stopped adding in the Thyme. The queen's eyes jumped down to the cauldron before her and she was about to cry out in warning when the mixture exploded-blasting her against the wall, and sending Alice elsewhere.

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><p>aXm The Castle Daphne, nearly a decade ere Frabjous aXm<p>

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><p>Alice arrived in the great hall of Daphne, and found a young man she'd never seen before. He did not wear the garb of a knight or squire nor even of a messenger, and was far too old to be a page. Her advisor came to her side, but Alice waved him aside as the man stepped towards her.<p>

He was fairly good looking, with a strong jawline and a well kept disposition. His eyes were as dark as coal, skin of the palest milk and hair paler still. She would have to have been blind not to see that he came from Marmoreal, or at least, was of decent of the place. He, like many of those Alice had met of Marmoreal, radiated-though his aura was dingy compared to her Mirana's.

"Lady Kingsleigh I presume," he began tersely, extending a hand.

Alice hid a frown as she took his hand and shook it, he reminded her of Hamish to some extent and she did not like it.

"Aye," she replied, "and who might you be?"

"Lord Ethan of Marmoreal," he responded, the look in his dark eyes setting her to ease. "Is her ladyship the princess Mirana about?"

"She may be," Alice replied. "Why do you inquire of her?"

"You do not think I came all this way simply to speak to her keeper, do you?" he asked. "You are charming, but I hold not a spot in my heart for you."

"What is it you want of her?" Alice inquired at length, astounded by the man.

"I wish to visit her, I have here a letter excusing her for the afternoon that she may walk with me," he replied, procuring the letter and handing it off to Alice. "Signed by King Aaron himself."

Alice looked over the letter, examining the seal before tearing it open. It had not been forged, she could tell that much, and there was a rather brief explanation. Her lips twitched. The man before her was to be given the chance to woo Mirana and should she decline him (or he abuse her) Alice had the right to remove him from Daphne, should she accept him as suitor then he would stay for some length of time, with Alice ever watchful of his movements. It was rather short notice which, while it didn't pose problem, left Alice nonplus for some length of time.

He, the suitor, seemed kind enough, despite his reminding her of Hamish, and while part of Alice hoped against him, another part hoped for him.

"Be in the east tea room at half past noon and I shall see that she meets you," Alice stated.

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><p>aXm<p>

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><p>She watched from afar as Lord Ethan stood and bowed as Mirana entered the room. The man helped Mirana in her chair, then took his place across from her. Tea was soon brought in by a servant, whom eyed Lord Ethan warily before backing out of the room. Alice had heard rumors of the servants making bets about the man and his chances of succeeding with Mirana. Her retainers had even joined in. Clove and Arne thought he had a fifty-fifty chance of success, Eckhart thought he stood half that, and Wilhelm thought the poor man had no chance at all. Alice tried desperately to keep an open mind, but she was conflicted.<p>

As Alice watched, the two got to talking and soon finished their tea. They stood, after a servant came in and removed the tray, headed out of the open tea room and into the gardens. Alice followed them along, observing the way Lord Ethan spoke to her lady. The young man set her on edge, though she didn't doubt the quality of character he held, she saw him as a threat-a threat to something she didn't dare begin, not yet at least. Things were complicated enough.

The two passed into another section of the gardens and Alice quickly followed behind them, keeping a lookout (as always) for anything unusual. Her thoughts nagged at her, like maggots taring at rotted flesh she was ridden and hounded and plagued. It was certain to be a poor night's sleep.

_"She's sixteen,"_ Alice thought to herself, _"perhaps of age but out of the question-I am her watcher, her keeper and given the situation I simply cannot allow myself to indulge in these feelings-it is not yet the right time, if I'm going to be back here for much longer, I'd best make the best of it and stop the bloody big head before she's too far gone...but I'd have to leave Mirana for that, and if I were to return to the proper place, and what would she think?"_

Beside her snuck the Chessur cat, lazing about in the air around her: she hardly took notice.

_"You're right dear Lady, what would Mirana think? Five steps closer and perhaps she shall hear, and you shall hear: what then?"_ asked the Chessur cat, his thoughts ringing in Alice's head.

_"What?"_ she responded.

"_I have not the answer to that, for that is not a question. I merely said: if you wish to know what she thinks-step into range, for this oddity is far extending but the ears only hear so far,"_ Chess replied, floating before her, a cheeky grin on his face. _"Or are you worried she'll find out that you're not from here, that you are living your life in pieces-backwards if you will-first a child, then a greater one, now an adult. You watch her grow and know that she must know this, then, in that place you came from, and all the while you deal with that growing flame of madness within you which threatens to swallow your heart whole and her's as well...though I should think she's given it all willingly."_

_"What?" _Alice inquired again, brow furrowing as she watched the cat.

_"Move fast, dear champion, she grows distant on the horizon!"_ Chess warned before fading from sight.

As far as Alice knew, they'd encountered a natural occurrence in Underland, a bent fragment of reality, which allowed all within it to hear each other's thoughts-within distance. She wondered, then, if Chess had dug through her thoughts-if hers' overlapped and were layered, for his were simple, refined and elegant.

Alice shook her head clear, as clear as it could be, and headed off after her charge and the young woman's suitor. She saw them before she heard them, then heard them conversing. As far as she could tell, they'd passed from the zone of oddities and were talking normally, and she sighed in relief before continuing to follow after them.

Soon, though it did not seem so to Alice, the two returned to the castle and the young lord took Mirana's hand in his-stroking it before raising it to his lips and kissing it softly. Mirana seemed somewhat conflicted by the action, and merely pursed her dark lips before excusing herself from the man and reentering her domain. Alice, once more, sighed in relief-glad that nothing horrid had happened during the outing and that she was able to keep to the background, where she thought she belonged. Alice reentered the castle herself, some time after the young lord had.

She was soon accosted by Mirana. The young woman hurried to her with bright eyes and was quick to envelop her in a great hug, her keeper was quick to return it and just as quick to try to wash her hands of it, but the young woman persisted. The hug became a drawn out thing which felt rather nice, though awkward, to Alice. To Mirana, whom could feel her keeper drawing away, the warmth of the hug was offset by confusion, hopelessness and even mild sorrow as the feeling that she was unwanted crept in.

As Mirana released Alice from her hug, the older woman reassured her, running her hand down the princess's cheek. Mirana blushed furiously and Alice quickly dropped her hand back down to her side, hiding her face and the astonished smirk upon it.

"How was your outing my liege?" Alice asked as Mirana took her arm.

"It was...fine, interesting at least," the young woman replied as the two began to walk the halls. "He means to court me, does he not?"

"Aye," Alice replied.

"Pity," Mirana muttered, "he is out of luck."

"Why so? He seems like a charming young buck," Alice responded.

"Did you know he's seven and twenty?" Mirana responded before shaking the thought from her head. "That isn't the only reason I think him out of luck with myself."

"Why then? What reason?" her keeper inquired.

"My heart was not stricken, for good or bad, at the sight of him-it is cool to him, neither one way nor another; I certainly shan't love him," the princess responded.

"You cannot know that, not all love is at first sight," Alice replied.

"That may be true but the heart decides in the first moments whether to love someone or not and in what way. First sight is merely the striking motion, the match combusts from there," Mirana explained. "Lord Ethan provoked no strike, no strike at all, and so the match shall not combust-As I thought before I even met him."

"Ah, but you entered with doubt that you could love him! Hence the match did not strike," Alice retorted.

"Nay, not doubt, _certainty_. The match of my heart was struck long ago and is now a gentle flame-no other may take up the match and strike it 'less the flame is snuffed," Mirana replied calmly, her words worrying Alice more greatly than anything exchanged between them.

It was quite possible that she could not save her dear queen heartbreak, just as it was likely she could not save herself, and that notion caused Alice's heart to plummet and her skin to go ashen.

"Alice?" Mirana called, looking up at her keeper. "Are you all right?"

"Aye," the woman lied, not quite meeting Mirana's deep eyes.

"If you say so," the young woman responded, brow furrowing lightly. "Would you be so kind as to sit and allow me read to you?"

"Of course," Alice replied, sitting down, her mind preoccupied.

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><p><strong>AN:** Made the update in time, now I get to keep my writing hand. I hope this chapter was to your liking, the next chapter will be up next week Friday.  
><strong>(Misleading spoiler time!)<strong> There will be blood.


	7. Promises

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Alice in Wonderland'.

**A/N:** Huzzah, a new chapter! Now with blood, proclamations of adoration, and major foreshadowing! An important part of balanced literacy! Read some today!  
>To Hmmm: Hopefully you'll find the bonding sufficient in this chapter, if not, there are more chapters to come.<br>To LizGillies: You'll see, bwahaha.

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><p><span>Chapter seven:<span> Promises

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><p>It was in Mirana's opinion that Alice was worn because she'd awoken at two that morning to make the final preparations, but in truth, the woman had never gone to sleep. It was now three in the afternoon, preparations had long since been completed, and King Aaron had arrived safely, bringing with him Nivens.<p>

Soon after his arrival he had taken up a walk with his youngest daughter and the two had spent much of the day together, much to Alice's discomfort. She detested giving up her afternoons with Mirana, but King Aaron had requested to speak to Mirana alone. When the clock struck two, however, the nobleman released his daughter to Alice and Mirana was quick to pull Alice into their routine, extending it by two hours to make up for lost time. There was, however, something in the king's eyes (as he passed her on the way to his chambers) which made her stomach twist and turn. Mirana, as oblivious as she could be at times, noticed the change in Alice's demeanor and tried to make up for it with physical affection-which, as it had been prone to do lately, upset both more.

The next three days passed much the same way as the first, with the king collecting his daughter from lessons after lunch everyday before releasing her at two to Alice. The fourth day, however, things changed, and Alice found that it was she whom was being pulled from her day-to-day at ten that morning. She was called to the library by Nivens. The white rabbit, it seemed, was not one to change much-as he was as much himself then as he was in the future.

Alice was brought to the library of Daphne, and left at the door, the king seated at a work table some fifteen feet from her. He looked up at her over his reading spectacles, silently calling her to sit before him. She followed the command and soon found herself in a rather uncomfortable chair but two feet from her king and employer.

The man set down his book and shut it, his face infinitely more haggard than the last time Alice had seen him-some months before. His bright eyes were clouded by fatigue, large bags hanging beneath them, and worry lines creasing his brow. He pinched his brow, sighing for a moment before beginning. Aaron pulled off his spectacles and set them atop the book.

"As you very well know Lady Kingsleigh, my daughter Iracebeth is not the most stable," he muttered, "which is why Mirana, my daughter-whom you, of all people, protect-is to become queen upon either the death of myself and my wife, or upon our retirement."

"Aye?" Alice asked, not quite sure where the king was headed, her brow furrowing in concern.

"Should the former lend hand to Mirana's coronation she will need more than a keeper and handful of retainers to protect her-she will need an army, she will need advisors, and she will need someone willing to fight on her behalf," the man continued as Alice began to understand, "she will need a champion."

Alice was about to respond when the man cut her off, waving one hand at her to silence her while the other opened the book before him. He reached down and put on his spectacles before finding the designated pages, which he had bookmarked moments prior to her entrance. The first page detailed her first visit to Underland, while the second marked page contained the many verses of _'The Jabberwocky'_, the picture beside it alarming Alice as she recognized herself, the many others he flipped through (up to the accident which had flung her into the past) were of various minor events spanning the month after the Frabjous. She swallowed down her shock as the king looked up at her with kind green eyes.

"Fate has twisted in such a way that you are destined to paradox Lady Kingsleigh. You have thus far served as Mirana's keeper, gained our admiration and trust, but at the same time you were once her champion and saved all of Underland from the tyranny of her sister.

"I do not know for certain how my wife and I shall fall, but I do know that Iracebeth's uprising is a fixed point in our future-your past-as is your slaying the Jabberwock, and the accident which brought you so far so long ago. I know that you love my daughter, and are of such solid character that I would give you my blessing today if you should want for her hand in your future. You have already proven yourself a hundred times over to be worthy of such a position as the champion, having already held it and preformed it, and I speak for both myself and my wife when I say that would be honored to have you serve it again-through the fall of our reign and into our daughter's for as long as she'll have you," Aaron continued passionately, stunning Alice with his word. "Lady Alice Kingsleigh, will you take up the burden of champion?"

Alice chewed her lip, she wanted to take up the offer, but the curious side of herself first wanted to know what would happen if she didn't and she tried to riddle it out in her head. Eventually she decided that she likely wouldn't have returned to Underland a second time: the idea was highly unappealing to her.

"I would be glad to continue serving her ladyship," Alice replied, head tilting to the side slightly.

"Excellent," Aaron replied through his beard.

The king brought before Alice a stack of contracts. He handed Lady Kingsleigh a quill and ink pot and relaxed as Alice went about reading and signing the documents. Some great length of time later, when the light was growing dim and the king had lit a candle to fight back the coming night, Alice reached the bottom of the heap. The parchment was blank save for four words scrawled across the top: '_Covenant of the Champion_'. Alice looked up at her king, seeing playful shadows in the man's eyes-the same shadows which graced both his wife's, and her queen's.

"You keep the Máru-Clade upon you?" he inquired.

"Aye, of course," Alice responded.

"Bring it forth from it's sheath," Aaron instructed.

"My liege, when you had this blade forged you told me that once unsheathed it would require payment for its services, what mean you by this then if it is true?" Alice responded.

"Máru-Clade, like all others of its class, requires blood before sheathing-of course-but it will be given it's dues," he replied. "Bring it forth."

Reluctantly Alice pulled the blade from her side, finding it as perfect as the day it was forged. The blade was long and clumsy to hold in her current position, so Alice set it down atop the table.

"Before you is the promise you must make before you are to leave this room," Aaron continued, pointing to the parchment, eyes flashing. "It seems only fitting that the promise be made with a promise kept."

"What?" Alice inquired, understanding that (if she was hearing things right) she was to bleed upon the parchment, though not understanding why she had to cut herself with the Máru-Clade.

"Do you not know the meaning behind the name of your weapon Alice?" the king inquired, a smirk tugging at his lips, "In your lands '_Máru_' means something similar to 'killing' or 'love', here-in Underland-it literally means '_biting promise_' if we were to translate the entire name from Outlandish it would be _'blade of promise'_. The moment you became my daughter's keeper and took up that sword you made a promise to protect her from all who would seek to harm her and it is a promise you have kept well. A promise kept to a promise made-the palm of your right hand will work best."

"What does this promise, this pact of blood, mean?" Alice inquired, the king as much a lunatic as his people, his insanity mild and typically well disguised.

"Merely that you would give your flesh and blood and all your muchness, in her service," the king responded. "Not nearly so heavy as the vows of marriage."

Alice chewed her lip over again and quickly took up the blade: it had not lost its edge in the years of disuse, one of the reasons blades of its nature were used by keepers and champion alike. The sharp metal slid across her palm like silk slipping from her hand, leaving in its wake a thick red line. The pain was much less than Alice anticipated, perhaps because the blade was so sharp and cut so clean. She released the blade, clumsily replacing it in its sheath-noting that no blood wetted the blade but that there was a shimmer to the edge, eddies of darkness which swelled and swirled beneath the surface of the metal.

She made a fist with her right hand, holding it above the parchment and watching as blood fell from it and dropped to the creamy paper before being swallowed by it. As she watched her name began to write itself out across the parchment.

"Now place your hand upon it," the man before her instructed, "and swear upon it-for good measure."

She did as she was told, not because Aaron could have her killed, but for Mirana-to protect her in the future and meet her in the past: for she could not imagine her life without Mirana in it, nor could she design the woman to the horrors of Iracebeth's twisted mind. Her hand met the paper, and blood seemed to be pulled from the wound and into it before weaving it's way in a trace of her hand.

"So swear I," she muttered, removing her hand as the suction upon it faded completely.

Aaron quickly took up the parchment, setting it to dry nearby, before taking her hand and binding it-he'd obviously known she would agree and prepared. He took up again the Oraculum-for she knew it as thus, though it was not the scroll she'd known-and pulled from his pocket a gleaming dagger. With careful hands he cut much from the book-taking from it those parts beyond the Frabjous day. He pulled from his pocket a kerchief with which he wrapped the portion (which had diminished in size greatly, to the point where the kerchief wrapped many times about it) and handed it to Alice.

"Knowledge is power Alice; keep it safe," he instructed. "You may take your leave now."

Alice stood, holding the parted Oraculum in her wounded hand and pushing in the chair with her good hand. She left the room and promptly headed to her chambers, though it was unspoken the words hung over her, giving weight to her already sagging shoulders; Mirana was not to be informed. The champion, for she was such again, took to her bed, sprawled out upon her back, and let her mind drift as she tried to erase Mirana's image from her head. The lines between her queen as she was and the queen she would become were growing slimmer by the second and Alice was increasingly worried that she would start something she knew she could not finish.

Though King Aaron had said he'd give her his blessing if she asked for it, hinting that perhaps something would happen between her and Mirana-though when was uncertain. Her fingers itched to unwrap her half of the Oraculum and page through it, but she fought it back: what would be, would be; she could neither help it nor hinder it if it was already fixed to occur. As Alice's mind wandered, she began to drift off into the realm of sleep, hope fluttering in her chest all the while.

When she next awoke, Mirana was wrapped around her-the youth's face burying into her shoulder and breast. It was not uncommon, in the past, for Mirana to venture into her keeper's chambers and seek protection from the shadows which haunted her many a night through. Alice had never once known her to sleep after such a night fright, 'less she waked and talked Mirana to sleep.

"Nightmare?" Alice inquired, shifting and wrapping her arms about the shaking girl.

"Yes," Mirana muttered in response, clinging closer.

"What was it of this time? Can you recall?" she asked, brow knit as she looked down at Mirana's bright face through the dark and still of the witching hours.

"I cannot recall the whole of it, but I remember awaking to find that shadows moved," Mirana whispered slowly, her eyes cast low and a few silver tears glinting on her cheeks.

Alice pulled Mirana closer and soothed her, knowing full well that the shadows did move-that on more than one occasion had she peered in on Mirana to find a shadow hanging over her prone form-but telling such things to the young woman would neither hinder nor help the situation.

"Alice?" Mirana inquired sleepily, her dulled voice brushed raw with fear.

"Yes Mirana?" Alice responded, still tired herself and fighting herself to keep awake.

"You're not leaving, are you?" the youth inquired, peering up to meet Alice's gaze.

"No," Alice half-lied.

There was a lengthy pause, a moment where Alice was unsure whether Mirana was relieved and thinking, or if the young woman had fallen asleep.

"Alice?" Mirana quipped again, slightly more awake.

The keeper grunted in response, eyes closed.

"I love you," Mirana said, backing away a slight bit before drawing in closer than before, her nature serious. "I wanted you to know I want to thank you for letting me stay in here."

"I love you too Mirana," Alice replied, opening her eyes as the youth squirmed in her arms and got more comfortable. "Please try to get some sleep."

"Yes ma'am," Mirana responded, finding a comfortable place before quickly dozing off.

Alice remained awake for some time after that, glancing down at Mirana and thinking about the piece of the Oraculum which she held in her possession. She would have to leave, someday, but until then she would remain with her dearest Mirana.

She wondered, dully, who would protect Mirana from the shadows and talk her back to sleep after a nightmare. It was quite obvious, to her at least, that the nightmares weren't going to stop for some time-if ever-and would likely increase in the coming years. She wondered too if Mirana (her queen Mirana) still suffered from the same nightmares which had plagued her since infancy (though such was a fact Alice had gathered from castle staff).

Though her mind was abuzz with curiosity and wonder, her body was exhausted and in need of mending, and so Alice succumbed to sleep and joined Mirana in the realm of the subconscious. The shadows which moved and jumped watched on all the while, whispering in their silent language, at the edge of the room-for they could go no farther, it was simply too bright.

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><p>aXm Marmoreal, one month and four days after the Frabjous aXm<p>

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><p>Nivens looked up anxiously as Mirana was lowered onto the bed; his queen had run herself limp waiting for Alice to return. He was not the only one fearing that Mirana would lapse into illness just as she had years prior after an apparent falling out with Alice. It had been the most dreadful of maladies, in part because of it's effects and in part because of it's rarity, and she'd been lucky it had been caught early enough the last time. There had always been the possibility that she would contract it again, the physicians had always been clear about that, and such stresses had always been cause for concern in regards to the notion.<p>

The unconscious queen was laid in her bed, and a physician was called to attend to her. He deemed that she was not relapsing, or showing signs of any illness at all, and declared that she was merely exhausted and needed a large dosage of high quality rest. He suggested that she garner the prescription naturally through sleep, but he was persuaded to leave a bottle of it close by in case she should wake and wander again. Mallymkun was chosen to watch her that morning, with Tarrant taking the afternoon and the Tweedles agreeing to switch off at night.

The white rabbit hoped that his queen would not awake before enough rest had been acquired naturally, for he feared that (in her shocked state) she would have to be force fed the prescription.

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><p><strong>AN:** Yes, next Friday there will be another chapter, granted, it will be _extremely_ short.  
>(<strong><span>MAJOR SPOILER ALERT<span>**) It includes the one scene which snowballed into a story, not the accident, rather, rejection(**Alert over**).


	8. Forbidden

**A/N:** I'm sorry to have abandoned you for so long :( Some of you have probably already read this on DA, but that doesn't excuse the tardiness of this chapter appearing on here _

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Alice in Wonderland (2010) :(

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><p><span>Chapter Eight: Forbidden<span>

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><p>They walked the halls, like they had many times before, Mirana's arm tangled in that of her keeper's. Her father had left for Marmoreal about a week before, two days after Alice signed the covenant, and things had returned to what passed for normal. Alice's hand was healing well, Mirana having been concerned with her keeper's wound, her keeper having lied to her about the circumstances from which it was borne.<p>

Like the many times before, the two spoke of various topics, occasionally drawing a chuckle or smirk from their companion. Unlike the many other times, they stuck mainly to the second floor of the estate and walked a long hall with many windows which overlooked the atrium. As the afternoon wore on, and the two diverted from their worn path in favor of a new, the topic fell upon Mirana's future duties-having been brought up in their discussion of lessons-and Alice found the girl's spirit to have fallen.

"Mirana?" she inquired, stopping and looking into the woman's eyes. "Are you all right?"

"If...If I declined the throne, Alice, if I'd never been born royal: would you still be here with me?" the younger woman asked in response, meeting her keeper's eyes.

"Of course, why do you ask?" she replied, brow furrowing.

"Since I was young I've wanted to be queen, but there's something I find I want more–a part of myself I would give anything to please, if only because without it I find myself to be incomplete," the young woman replied, searching Alice's eyes. "Broken, even."

"I don't quite follow," Alice muttered, heart pounding. "What is it you're missing?"

"You," Mirana whispered as she swiftly pressed her keeper against the wall, her dark eyes jumping from the woman's throat to her eyes, "There was strike and spark, now flame..."

The young royal trailed off and leaned in, Alice's breath catching in her chest as Mirana's lips met hers' in powerful exchange. Mirana eased back, looking up at Alice and, finding what she sought in her keeper's eyes, went back for more. Eventually the keeper regained control of her wits, or perhaps, lack thereof, and was easily able to pry herself from Mirana, heart aching all the while.

"We can't," the keeper muttered, her voice barely above a whisper as she recognized confusion in the young woman's eyes.

"Why not?" Mirana inquired, confusion overcome by fire.

"I can't love you," Alice replied softly, trying to convey what she couldn't say with her eyes.

"If this is because we're both women, then I don't care, I love you Alice Kingsleigh," Mirana quickly responded, rubbing the older woman's arms, her brow furrowed slightly.

"That's not it at all," the woman replied, chills running down her spine as she looked into the young Mirana's eyes.

"Why then?" she inquired, brow furrowing further as her emotions grew.

"The time is not yet right for me to love you," Alice responded, escaping the stunned woman's grasp.

"That's it?" Mirana called after her, watching as the lady walked away, brow furrowed, anger and confusion sinking from her eyes to her mouth. "That's why? The time is not right? Who is to say it is wrong? Who is to say it will ever get better than this? Alice!"

"I'm sorry," Alice whispered, leaving the hall (and Mirana) behind.

The keeper descended the stairs, Chessur joining her halfway down. His usual grin dull as he floated alongside her, his silence a question.

"I never wanted to hurt her, but now I fear I have," Alice finally said. "I'll be leaving; somehow, sometime–leaving nonetheless. I've suspected for some time that such a thing would happen, but as of yet I haven't found a way back to the right time."

"Would you like my help in the matter?" Chess inquired.

"Of course: please do," Alice replied, heading out into the atrium and taking a seat upon the edge of a fountain.

"Well, I find it off that you wouldn't simply tell her that you must leave," Chess responded. "I should think it impossible that your actions change the future: for these actions have already happened to the woman you wish to return to."

"I was hoping you would help with finding a way back, not with this mess I've created," Alice muttered, resting her chin in her hands. "I hadn't thought of that possibility though, perhaps Absolem was right after all...I doubt Mirana will have anything to do with me now."

"I disagree, give her time–She may be an iron fist in a lace glove but she would sooner die than lose you," Chess replied.

Alice did not respond, instead looking up at the windows high above-wondering if Mirana was still up there, if there was any chance of her being forgiven. She supposed there was–after all, when her younger self returned to serve as Mirana's champion years later, the woman treated her kindly. She wondered if Mirana's feelings still carried in the future, and hoped they did, for while it was not yet the time for love there was love nonetheless. There always had been.


	9. Taken Ill

** A/N:** A peace offering... of sorts... Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Alice in Wonderland (2010), but if I did... *cackles*

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><p><strong><span>Chapter nine:<span>** Taken Ill

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><p>In the two weeks which had passed since Mirana's attempts to kindle a relationship with Alice, the two had barely spoken, in part because the young woman took ill. It was sudden, during lessons one day, when her illness revealed itself in a fall. Alice had rushed to the girl's side, as had her governess, and found the girl perspiring–her breathes short and ragged, far between. The keeper had quickly taken Mirana up in her arms and carried her from the room.<p>

Physicians had been called to asses the illness but as of yet none had discovered cause or cure for the malady. After a good hour or two Mirana was awake for the fever did not lend well to restful sleep, and none dared give her draught for fear of her state. She lay in bed, paler than the white sheets, sweat coating her, her breathing inhibited by the quick onset illness. Alice stayed by her side for the rest of the day, and much of the night, tending to the ill girl. Never once, in the years she'd been there, had Mirana caught cold–let alone out and out illness.

The keeper returned to her room for four hours rest before returning to Mirana's side early the next morn. Physicians worked over the girl, checking her and trying to find the source–her state deteriorating in the few hours Alice had spent away from her. Mirana was beginning to show difficulties in speaking and moving her limbs. The waters of panic stilled as the body of physicians discovered the nature of the princess's ailment, a disease well known in all worlds, brain fever. While in the Abovelands it was a difficult thing to treat, there being no cure up there, in Underland (so long as it was caught early enough) it could be cured without permanent damage to the afflicted. A brew was mixed up and given to the weak girl, all the while Alice waited nearby.

Halfway through the process of administering the medication, Alice was pulled from the room by a worried lady-in-waiting and instructed to eat something. She understood quite well: Mirana had hardly touched her breakfast the morning before. Alice walked the silent halls of Daphne, headed to the kitchen to procure a simple hunk of bread, and was soon met by Chessur.

"I've found your way back," he muttered softly.

"You're certain?" Alice responded, stopping in her tracks.

"Aye, though I am also certain that it shan't be sticking around for much longer," Chessur replied with a soft grin.

"You are sure? But Mirana...I dare not leave her so ill," Alice muttered, "at least, not without a proper goodbye."

"Make your goodbyes then," Chess replied softly. "Once finished meet me in the first level water-closet."

Finished, the cat disappeared into thin air, leaving Alice there wondering what she was to do–how she was to say goodbye, she had yet to formally apologize and explain her reasoning to Mirana. So much seemed to be happening at once that the champion felt rather dizzy. She steadied herself, then continued down to the kitchen and procured her hunk of bread afore returning to Mirana's side.

The young noblewoman was still awake and looking none the better despite the first dosage having been administered minutes before. She gave Alice a weak smile and didn't protest when the woman took a seat beside her and took up her hand within her own.

"Will you read me?" she croaked, voice hoarse and low.

"Read you what dear?" Alice asked in response.

Mirana's eyes wandered to the book at her bedside–the book she'd been reading to Alice for near two months, 'The Wren and the Raven'. Alice ground her teeth: she was horrid at reading Outlandish to herself, let alone aloud. Nevertheless, she picked up the book and turned to the page they were on–the page before the last–and started reading. The day wore on as she slowly read the page out, and Mirana's eyelids began to droop. When at last the young noblewoman was on the cusp of sleep, barely holding on to consciousness, Alice decided it was time to explain and set down the book in favor of stroking the exhausted girl's cheek.

"I...I must leave you now, but a time shall come when I shall return to you, not as I am, and love you softly–Forgive me for this, forgive me for leaving you now and loving you as soft as before. I shall leave you again, then, and hope to return–Should I, I shall love you as proper as I would now," she muttered, kissing the half-sleeping, half-delirious young woman's forehead before standing and leaving.

Before Alice went down to meet Chessur she returned to her chambers and changed into the very dress she had been blown from Marmoreal in–of course, over the years she'd had it repaired and slightly modified. Then she headed down to the water-closet and was surprised to find Chessur sitting there and cleaning his ears with one giant paw. He didn't look up but she knew that he'd seen her.

"By what method am I to return?" she inquired, rather confused.

"By mirror of course–the very method you arrived by," the cat replied.

"But the mirror I first came through was at Marmoreal; not here," Alice retorted.

"Silly girl, everyone knows mirrors are a migrant creature," Chess replied, teasing her softly, "that is why you arrived in a field and not in Marmoreal or here."

"Of course," Alice muttered, taking in the mirror before her. "Are you certain it will take me back to the right time?"

"Look close into the looking glass and tell of what you see," the Cheshire cat replied.

Alice peered close, her nose nearly touching the cool surface of the mirror.

"Mirana..." she breathed in awe upon spying her queen–at the same age she'd left her those years ago–through the glass.

"Would you question me then?" Chess inquired.

"Yes," Alice teased as she stepped through the glass, her words muted and distorted.


End file.
